Tsuwano is a fascinating historic town in the mountains of South Western Honshu. It now has a brand new train station which is probably less quaint than the old one I read about. Noren Yado Meigetsu was fabulous! We were greeted by our hostess and directed to the parking next door. She attended to our every need upon arrival and the women in our group were invited to dress in yukata for dinner. It was so special because she helped us dress with a properly reinforced obi too! Dinner was an amazing array of delicacies, including matsutake mushrooms because we were there in autumn. Breakfast was huge and traditional. The onsen tub is small, essentially private, so needs to be booked and was very pleasant. Sleeping is on traditional futon in a very quaint tatami room. The ryokan is beautifully maintained, and our hostess waved us off the next day. Highly recommended.

There was nothing I didn't like.

This was an excellent hospitality experience from beginning to end. It's a traditional ryokan in a side street that can be a little hard to find. We were warmly welcomed with effusive and helpful service on a rainy afternoon. Our spacious room was a gem with a lovely view of the courtyard. Breakfast was amazing - graceful service, presentation was a work of art, and the food was delicious. It was an hour-long cultural immersion. The locally sourced roasted green tea was such a highlight that we bought packets to take home with us.

The reasonably short walk from the station can be a little uneven when wheeling suitcases.

Very, very, very beautiful ryokan. The owner already greeted us at the entrance and was extremely friendly. The room was also beautiful and made you feel like living in Edo period Japan. The onsen was very relaxing, and after it, my partner was offered to wear a nice yukata for dinner. The food was extraordinary (although it could mostly not be adjusted for my admittedly picky partner, see below), both in terms of taste and in the way it was presented. I would definitely recommend this ryokan anytime to any traveller.

Although we asked if my partner's meals could be adjusted, since she doesn't eat seafood or fish (mostly), we were still served two fish meals, two crabs, etc. I understand that the meals are probably chosen individually for each day, leaving not much flexibility for difficult customers like us - which is perfectly fair. However, I ended up having to eat about 1.75 meals each time, since a large part of the food would have otherwise gone to waste, so just leaving out the fish, crabs etc. for my partner would have been the better choice (also from a sustainability standpoint).

The meals were fantastic, varied and creative. A lot of heart went into each meal. The staff were bonny and put in the effort and enthusiasm to ensure an excellent stay. Ensuring my medical food requirement was catered for and then providing me with a card in Japanese that explained this problem so I could forward to other chefs was most considerate.

On entering one felt immediately that this was a warm, homely place and you would enjoy your stay. This impression was converted into a fact. There was nothing I didn't like. Thanks to all the staff. 10/10.

Wonderful staff - not much English but they have a translating machine which was great. They were so welcoming and couldn't do enough for you. They created a calm and peaceful atmosphere in this traditional old guest house, well situated in this lovely little town. Fabulous Japanese style breakfasts.

Even though we were expecting traditional sleeping arrangements, and comparing it to our experience at other ryokan, our futons and pillows didn't make for a restful sleep! Also no surprise to us, but be aware that en-suite bathrooms in such old buildings can be cramped.

A wonderful ryokan in a beautiful peaceful setting. My son and I slept in a room with a private bathroom and separate seating area overlooking the garden and fish pond. It was spacious and very relaxing, especially falling asleep listening to the sound of the water. The family running the ryokan were so friendly and attentive. The local Japanese breakfast and dinner was vast and delicious. Highly recommended!

It was great that I could use the public bath just for myself but it would have been even better if the water was hotter.

All meals were exceptional, Feasts for the eyes and palate. Kaiseki meals were at the gourmet level comparable to other 5 star entities

We would highly recommend that the town work on making access at the train station easier, if they hope encourage more tourism. Having to lift luggage over the tracks is extremely difficult for older travelers. Tsuwano is such a lovely town, definitely worth visiting but train station access is a definite problem.

Noren Yado Meigetsu is a traditional Japanese style guest house in a beautiful old building. Our room was very spacious and comfortable, the staff were very friendly and helpful and the meals were exceptional. The salmon cooked in foil was the best dish we have had so far in Japan. A great place to stay!

The property was excellent but Tsuwano was very quiet - nearly everything was closed.

This 130 year old ryokan is absolutely charming. Our room was on the second floor with a view of the quiet street and the red-tiled roofs of traditional houses with the mountains in the background. The bathroom was modernized with a flush toilet and shower/soaking tub ensuite. During dinner, they roll out the futons and feather comforters on the floor. There was also an alcove next to the windows with sitting chairs and a small table at which to work or have a cup of tea and shoji screens to block it off at night. The low table has a tea service in a lacquer box and there is an electric hot water pot to make tea. You can keep the rooms natural temperature or you can turn on the heat pump to the temp. you desire. There is a communal hot bath, but our ensuite soaking tub was fine. Yukata and slippers are provided. Even better than the room were the owners and their children. The father and two sons are the chefs, while the mother and daughter in-law work reception, do the books, serve the meals and answer all your questions. Although the family had limited English, they made a great effort to explain every dish during dinner. They made us feel welcomed and appreciated. And the meals were delicious. We had two breakfasts and two amazing dinners which included sashimi, chawanmushi, soup, individual hot pots with different ingredients and dipping sauces, crab legs one night, matsutake broth, mountain potatoes and pureed turnips, vegetables, pickles and much more. The combination of flavors was exquisite and the dishes were a delight to the eyes. The ambience of the Noren Yado Meigetsu (rising moon) ryokan made our two-day stay in Tsuwano even more memorable.

To be truthful, I'm not a slipper person. I'd rather go around barefoot or just in socks. The slippers kept falling off going down the steep stairs.

The warmth of welcome was second to none. Such lovely people wanting to make our stay the best it could be and genuine in their desire to assist my husband who is visually impaired. The accommodations were authentic and comfortable. The meals were incredible - with interesting and truly delicious dishes. Care was shown in everything they did.